Kitchen Connections: Junior League of Omaha’s signature program

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Kitchen Connections is back for year two as the Junior League of Omaha’s signature program.

Through the program, JLO volunteers like you help transform Omaha, one young adult at a time.

The program in a nutshell

Kitchen Connections pairs a JLO mentor with a young adult mentee who’s recently aged out of the foster care system. Together, each pair will create healthy cuisine, community and a love of home cooking.

Each quarter, JLO volunteers are paired with a cohort of young adults through Project Everlast. Each month, the teams gather to:

·         Learn a healthy new recipe and nutrition basics

·         Cook together in a safe, fun and friendly environment

·         Share a meal and create community

At the end of each quarter, the young adults participating receive a complete kitchen kit including:

·         Mini-indoor grill

·         Pots and pans

·         Silverware, plates & cups

·         Knives and cutting boards

·         Food storage

·         Turners, spatulas, cooking spoons

·         Oven mitts

·         Kitchen towels and cloths

·         Mixing bowls

·         Measuring cups & spoons

“All of us involved in Community Impact placements are thrilled to have the opportunity to connect with young community members in such a fun, casual way. Cooking and eating together is one of the most powerful community building tools we have to offer!”—Ashley Quarles

What a typical meet up looks like

League volunteers assist program participants to make a recipe. During bake time and throughout the evening, the group also discusses tips on grocery planning, especially how to save money on quality ingredients, and everyone gets to taste test the creations.

Did you know?  All mentees receive access to a mobile app called “Affordable Flavors.” With their account, they get a 30-day menu, suggested shopping lists and over 100 pages of recipes – all at no cost.

Past successes

The recent sessions held earlier this Fall pushed mentees in attendance to try more challenging recipes, such as enchiladas, and the experience gave participants new skills in how to use knives to cut particular vegetables and how to shred rotisserie chicken.  

League volunteers also share a relevant lesson each session, such as “My Plate.” The “My Plate” framework shows visual examples of what a well-balanced, nutrient-rich plate should look like, in order to ensure the mentees get the vitamins and protein that they need.

“It has been a lot of fun seeing the mentees light up and get excited that the meal they had put together and prepped comes out delicious. They get to take any leftovers home with them as well.” – Ashley Quarles

You can make an impact

A new cohort will begin its three-month program in October.

If you want to share in the experience of connecting and community building, check out Digital Cheetah for the upcoming volunteer shifts on October 20 and November 17, held at Completely Kids.

The Junior League of Omaha is proud of its Kitchen Connections health food mentorship program to support Food Access in Omaha. We partner with young adults building a life after child welfare and help them establish healthy eating habits, learn lifelong home-cooking skills and equip their new homes with everything they need to prepare nutritious meals for themselves and their families.  

Junior League New Member Year: What to Expect

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Thinking about joining the Junior League of Omaha? 

It can be scary to try new things, we get it, and we’re here to help!

Here’s a rundown of what to expect when you join Junior League of Omaha:

First things first – Before you join:

  1. Get acquainted with the League: Current members meet with prospective members online and in person at various events to get to know each other. 
  2. Complete a Membership Application 
  3. Pay Dues: Membership Dues support the League’s overall programmatic, training and administrative needs, including our physical headquarters, event facility rentals and food and beverage at in-person meetings. 

Enrollment opens up for new members every year between late May – June. 

Membership is open to all women, at least 21 years old, who have an interest in voluntarism, a commitment to community service and an interest in developing her potential for voluntary community participation. The Junior League welcomes all women who value our mission. We are committed to inclusive environments of diverse individuals, organizations and communities. 

group of women posted
2021-2022 New Member Committee Members

New Member Requirements and Commitments

Your New Member year is typically a commitment of approximately 50-60 total hours between the months of August through May.  

It might sound like a lot, but it’s not!

 You will participate in monthly meetings for 1-2 hours that include:

  • Training Sessions on the Junior League of Omaha and its history in our community.
    • Did you know that members of the Junior League of Omaha began the Gift Shop at Children’s Hospital in 1948, which still operates today and serves as income to assist with many of the hospital’s programs and services?! Children’s Hospital is one of many local organizations impacted by the service and talents of our League. 
  • Social Time to Get Connected with Junior League of Omaha members – both new and active.

You will be assigned a cohort of new members who live in nearby geographic areas so that you can continue the conversation between new meetings. Each group is kept intentionally small with about 10 members, with an active member who mentors and helps guide the group in questions and activities. 

group of girls posting at a social event
2021-2022 New Member Music Bingo Night

New members also get to attend:

  • General Meetings with all other active members (held monthly, with members asked to attend 5 per year)
  • Fundraising activities and events, such as the JLO Classic at Top Golf and more
  • Community service shifts, experiencing the ability to immediately and directly make an impact on the community especially related to food access and hunger in Omaha.
    • New members always report they love the immediate impact they can make in just a few hours time, through shifts at area non-profits like Together, Inc., etc. 

Then what:

After completion of the new member year, you enter Active Member status. As an active member, you serve a placement on one of many committees. Each placement lasts one year (August-June).  After seven years as an active member, you can become a League Sustainer. 

You will learn all about what active service looks like as part of your new member year. 

New Member Q&A

Read what one new member, Jazmyn Brown, had to say about her experience: 

Jazymn recently completed her new member year and is currently in her first active year placement as Shift Coordinator for the Food Access Committee.  

Q: Why did you join JLO? 

A:  I joined to meet like-minded women, to network and to volunteer, helping the community I care about.

Q: How would you describe your new member year?

A: It was so much fun. I built friendships that will last years and learned a lot about the league.

Q: Did you find it easier or harder than you expected to fulfill the responsibilities of new members?

A: It was easier because I learned the expectations upfront. I was able to complete all my shifts by Fall simply because I signed up for any of them that I was interested in.

Q: What would you say to someone considering JLO?

A: It’ll be the best decision you’ll make. You’ll meet amazing women who want to make a difference in the community. What other organization can say that?

Learn more about joining:  Email Join@JLOmaha.org. 

Support the Junior League of Omaha Annual Fund.

One month away: Second annual JLO Classic at Top Golf!

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Tickets are on sale now for the fundraiser Sunday, September 11, 2022. 

Individual tickets are available, or you can purchase an entire bay for six total golfers. 

The Classic is one of the Junior League of Omaha’s newest fundraising events that took place at Omaha’s Topgolf, which supports JLO’s Kitchen Connections program. The 2021 event included a silent auction, including two VIP concert tickets donated by Centris Federal Credit Union and multiple men’s and women’s season ticket packages donated by Creighton University Athletics. We still can’t say thank you enough to all of our 2021 sponsors, including Centris Federal Credit Union who sponsored our hole in one challenge. 

“We had a blast at the first annual JLO Classic! TopGolf is always a great time, and it was such a fun, unique opportunity to give back. We’re looking forward to going again and many more years to come!” – 2021 Attendee

We have even bigger plans for this year’s event. Non-golfers alike will enjoy the drinks, buffet and door prizes. 

“I loved attending last year’s event. JLO Classic is an all around good time and you don’t have to have experience on a course to have fun! Between the drinks, food, and atmosphere it’s the kind of Sunday afternoon good time I want to have every week. And you can’t beat doing it all for a wonderful cause!” – JLO Member

Don’t miss out! Learn more and purchase tickets. 

Go ahead…

“Give it a little tap, tap, taperoo.” ← Name that movie. Golfers know. 😉

If you or anyone you know is interested in becoming a sponsor or donating any silent auction items for this year’s event, please contact golfclassic@jlomaha.org or visit our website at jlomaha.org/jlo-classic.

Give the Gift of Cooking

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Looking for the perfect holiday gift? The Junior League of Omaha cookbook is a festive option sure to wow your family and friends! Want to make your gift extra special? Check out a few ways to bundle A Century of Serving:

  • Wrap one in a pretty tablecloth, dish towel, or placemats.
  • Buy a cocktails book and attach a mini bottle and cocktail stirrer
  • Place one inside a skillet, frying pan, or grill pan and tie with ribbon
  • Use a knife and fork as part of the bow to wrap it with
  • Tie on a slim bottle of flavored olive oil or a unique spice to the front
  • Add a bamboo cutting board and a set of three whisks tied with some ribbon.

Order your cookbook today at https://www.jlomaha.org/cookbook/ or from one of our many local retailers.

Holiday Baked Goodies

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Let’s face it, the holidays just aren’t going to look the same this year. We’re all hunting for ways to spend distanced time with our closest family, and the Junior League of Omaha cookbook can help you find recipes that can be made into single servings to make life a little easier.

Have a peanut butter lover in the family? Try our Chocolate Cupcakes with Peanut Butter Frosting recipe! If you want something a little smaller, our Dark Chocolate and Seas Salt Sables more than get the job done. You can also find a recipe for Apple Pie Bars or Bourbon Baked Apples to put a single-serving twist on a holiday favorite dessert, or keep it even more simple with Sweet and Salty Caramel Brownie Bites. Whatever you’re craving, the JLO cookbook can satisfy.

The best thing we can do in this complicated time is keep the holidays simple, so our gift to you this holiday season is our amazing recipe for Chocolate Chip Cookies.

You can find this recipe and more in the Junior League of Omaha’s A Century of Serving cookbook, available online or at one of our many local retailers: https://www.jlomaha.org/cookbook/

Small Business Saturday

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Small Business Saturday is right around the corner! Celebrated the Saturday after Thanksgiving, Small Business Saturday is your reminder to shop local during the holiday season and remember that you are a key part of helping your local business owners thrive. 

The Economy of Shopping Small: Keeping it in the Community posted a report in 2017 showing that 42 cents of every dollar spent in a small business comes back to the local community in the form of salaries to local residents, payments to local suppliers, and sponsorships that support local schools, charities and other initiatives. 

One way you can support local business owners this holiday season is by purchasing Junior League’s A Century of Serving Cookbook at the area retailers stocking our book: 

  • Everbloom Floral & Gift (Loveland location only, 90th & Center)
  • Dusk Goods and Gifts (1234 S. 13th St, Suite 201 & 202)
  • Voila! Magdalene Blooms (4922 Dodge Street)
  • JH Interior Design (Clocktower Village: 721 N 98th Street)
  • Stir Coffee Bar (Legacy – 19650 Wright Plaza)
  • Salt Creek Mercantile (1502 Silver St – Ashland)
  • Made in Omaha (Countryside Village, Old Market)
  • Prairie in Bloom (1702 Cuming St.)
  • Village Pomegranate/The Linen Gallery (Countryside Village)
  • Village Grinder (Countryside Village, 87th & Pacific)
  • Clarkson Gift Shop (UNMC)
  • CornerStone Gift Shop (UNMC)
  • The Bookworm (90th & Center)
  • Mine Custom Gifts (114th & Davenport)
  • Spruce Interiors & Gifts (5022 Leavenworth Street)
  • Children’s Hospital Gift Shop (82nd & Dodge Street)
  • Reve (Rockbrook Village)
  • Hearts & Fire (Rockbrook Village)

Check out the link below for more information on our local wholesalers! https://www.jlomaha.org/cookbook/

Junior League of Omaha – A Century of Serving: French Silk Pie Recipe

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I will be the first person to admit that pies are very intimidating for me. Crusts seem complicated and the filling seems easy to screw up, but they’re also easy to buy premade.

That said, I’m a sucker for French silk pie. This recipe seemed doable, so I gave it a shot—I am so glad I did! This recipe is surprisingly simple and uses a lot of ingredients I already had at home. Bonus, it turns out AMAZING.

What surprised me most was that I already had most of the ingredients. (Ignore the cherry preserves in the photo—whoops!)

This recipe starts with the graham cracker crust. It calls for chopped almonds, but I couldn’t use them for dietary reasons, so I replaced the same amount with graham crackers. I also had a 9-inch pie plate instead of 10 so I did end up with a little extra crust. It did seem like I needed more butter to make the crust easier to form in the pan but using a spoon to spread the crumbs out actually worked well to make things stick together.

Next you cream the sugar and softened butter, then add your melted chocolate. I didn’t have any baking chocolate on hand, but I did have Hershey’s cocoa powder. The instructions on the back said to mix 3 tablespoons of cocoa with 1 tablespoon of oil and that worked great! I did add just a little more oil in at the end because it wasn’t the easiest to mix, but I’m happy with how it turned out.

Now this is the part where I was 100% not convinced this was going to turn into a pie. The chocolate did not mix well into the butter and sugar, and the recipe uses the words “cream” and “mix well” and was not sure how what I was seeing was going to get us to that but went with it. As you add each egg, mix it for four minutes like it says, but it definitely begins to get to a creamy mix by the end. Color me surprised!

Spoon the mixture into the pie crust and chill for 24 hours—and voila! You have French Silk Pie. Again, this was much easier than I expected the recipe to be. It took about 20 minutes for me to make everything and then it chilled for a day before serving. It doesn’t get much simpler than that! It is rich, but delicious.

I did not take any pictures of individual slices because it honestly isn’t pretty coming out of the pan, but dang it—so very good. I hope this becomes a new favorite in your household because it most definitely is in mine!

Junior League of Omaha – A Century of Serving 

French Silk Pie

# Servings: 8

Category: Desserts

Ingredients:

  • 1 cup graham cracker crumbs
  • ⅔ cup chopped almonds, lightly toasted
  • 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
  • ¼ cup sugar
  • ¾ cup butter, softened
  • 1 cup plus 2 tablespoons sugar
  • 2 ounces unsweetened chocolate, melted
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 3 eggs
  • Whipped cream

Directions: 

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Combine the graham cracker crumbs, almonds, melted butter and ¼ cup sugar in a bowl and mix well. Press over the bottom and up the side of a 10 inch pie plate.Bake for 10 minutes or until lightly browned. Let stand to cool for 1 hour.

Cream ¾ cup butter and 1 cup plus 2 tablespoons sugar in a mixing bowl. Add the chocolate and vanilla and mix well. Add the eggs 1 at a time, beating for 4 minutes after each addition. Spoon into the pie crust. Chill for 24 hours. Top servings with whipped cream.

To learn more or purchase your own copy of the A Century of Serving cookbook click here.

Junior League of Omaha – A Century of Serving: Pumpkin Butter Cake Recipe

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Fall is here! That means it’s time to start making pumpkin EVERYTHING. And honestly it’s not fall if you don’t make Pumpkin Butter Cake. It’s made with a yellow cake crust topped with a creamy pumpkin layer and is what all of your fall dreams are made of. Let’s just call this a warm up for Thanksgiving, cool?

The best part about this recipe is how easy it is! Most of the ingredients you already likely have around your kitchen: Yellow cake mix, butter, powdered sugar, pumpkin, eggs, etc.

Start off by making the crust with the cake mix, butter and eggs. You’re not making the cake as directed on the box, instead you’re making it into a crust—keeps it simple!

Next, combine the pumpkin and cream cheese. Once you add in the remaining ingredients it’s ready for the oven! This is where your kitchen will start to smell like fall. And it is DIVINE.

I topped this with a little bit of powdered sugar, but it would be great topped with whipped cream as well! Not only is this super easy to make, but it’s full of flavor and a perfect seasonal dessert. Pumpkin Gooey Butter Cake is sure to please everyone at the dinner table this Fall Season!

Junior League of Omaha – A Century of Serving 

Pumpkin Butter Cake

# Servings: 8 Category: Desserts

Ingredients:

  • 1 package yellow cake mix
  • ½ cup butter, softened
  • 1 egg
  • 1 can pumpkin puree
  • 8 ounces cream cheese, softened
  • ½ cup butter, melted
  • 3 eggs
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 16 ounces confectioners’ sugar
  • 1  teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 1 teaspoon ground nutmeg

Directions: 

Preheat the oven to 350 egress. Grase a 9×13 inch baking pan. 

Combine the yellow cake mix, softened butter, and 1 egg in abowl and mix well. Spread in the prepared baking pan.

Combine the pumpkin and cream cheese in a large mixing bowl and beat until smooth. Beat in the melted butter, 3 eggs and vanilla extract. Add the confectioner’s sugar, cinnamon and nutmeg and mix well. Spread over the cake batter. Bake for 40 to 50 minutes or until set but slightly soft in the center.

To learn more or purchase your own copy of the A Century of Serving cookbook click here.

So You Want to Volunteer

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The Junior League of Omaha is an organization of women committed to promoting voluntarism, developing the potential of women and improving the community through the effective action and leadership of trained volunteers. The League’s purpose is exclusively educational and charitable. The women of the Junior League of Omaha live out its mission statement through volunteering at various Done-In-A-Day events, such as wrapping diapers at the Lifehouse, filling cars with fresh produce at the Heart Ministry Center drive-thru food pantry or organizing donation items for our annual Bargain Bash. But what makes for a trained volunteer as outlined in our mission statement?

The 2020-2021 Community Impact Council, “pivoted” this past league year to support the Omaha community in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. One of the initiatives that the Council set out to accomplish was the creation of The Junior League of Omaha Volunteer Guide. The Community Impact Council is committed to making a positive impact within our League and community. The Council strives to empower our volunteers and provide meaningful impact opportunities for our members and those we serve. One of the primary goals of the 2021-22 Community Impact Council is to bring the Volunteer Guide to general membership to facilitate the ongoing development of our volunteers. We will be presenting sections of the Volunteer Guide throughout the year to provide you with helpful information on your path to become a trained volunteer with the Junior League of Omaha. Education material to look forward to includes:

  • The history of volunteering within the Junior League of Omaha
  • Goals of the Community Impact Council
  • Impact shift etiquette
  • General guidelines for volunteers
  • How to have authentic interactions during impact shifts
  • And more!

Thank you to our membership for taking time to volunteer on behalf of the Junior League of Omaha with our community partners! Your time and passion are valuable assets to the League and Omaha community. We look forward to hearing about your experience volunteering with the Junior League of Omaha.

Join Us for The JLO Classic!

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The Junior League of Omaha’s newest fundraiser is taking place Sunday, September 26 at Topgolf Omaha, and sure to be a swinging good time. Contact karinakiewel@gmail.com for a JLO Classic flyer you can post or share.

Throughout the event is a silent auction with door prizes and a hole-in-one prize opportunity. Stay tuned to the Junior League of Omaha’s social media channels for more details on the awesome prizes and silent auction items. If you or someone you know would like to donate anything to this event, please contact our chair Beth Kalal at golfclassic@jlomaha.org.

Don’t know what to wear to the event? We’ve got you covered! This year’s theme is Caddyshack—the greatest golf movie of all time. Fire up Netflix (or do a quick google search) for outfit inspiration. There will be prizes for the best individual and team outfits that feature our theme, so come dressed to impress! Bottom line is you won’t want to miss this event!